The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-21
CHAPTER IN.

| Al the year Oh our lIOru one thou8an
eight hundred and eighty.three-beln
last summer" to the date OF these record
two public events took place in Ne,
England. which were Of interest to th
reader Of this story. '' Ns ~
| The first was tho exhibition OF a ver
mont Academy, which has been veguel,
known upon these pages Ms "the Academ,
In tho town where Uncle John lived
The name OF the town, strictly speaking
WAS Repose, and tho name OF tho institl
lion was tho. Repose Academy. It wa
Exhibition day, as l cay, at the Repos
Academy. It was pleasant day. and th
village was full OF pleasant people. Thor,
1id not a great many things happen ii
Repose, and whenever anything did, on,
made the most Of 1t. People put on thei
best bonnats, and their light gloves, ant
brushed up their silk hats, and took ttei
pat cameo, and left their sewing and bak
Ing and reading and counters and ledger,
and plough and babies, and repaired II
crowds to the Academy Hall, to see the
Academy boys exhibit" themselyes tc
their neighbors and their friends.
VI these latter, large numbers were
present. Strangers from far and near
once year made pilgrimage to Reposs, te
applaud their own boys upon the acadsm.
ic platform. Proud fathers. teary moth.
ers, ph!losophic elder brothers and ador.
Ing siatcrs repaired 10 the sober old hail
exuberantly, and sat in front rows, pal
plating, till their own particular boy had
taken his part" Of the great and grim oc.
caslon, dubiously or glorioualy as the case
might be. IN l.o III =
On this especial exhibition day Of
which speak, there was to be an evening
performance, called In Repose vernacular'
"Prizeapeakln'." The Academy boye'
without respect to aye or class elevation,
we're to compete Tor pro-eminerce and q
prize In e!ocutionary. efforts which Repose
deeply delighted to honor. 1t was In fact
the pet occasion OF Exhibition week, The
hall was very much decorated ss to its
pillars and platform with evergreen-by.
the.yard and yellow June lilies; and Tie
local paper OF Repose-by name the
North american Weekly Ttlephone-kept a
reporter In the front seat from beginning
to end. q, ,I.s' e .,s..'-
The prjzs to DO competed for on this
exciting evening, was offered by an cid
lsdy some years eincs denarted to world
xhere it Is doubtful ii prize speaking
shall prove to be one Of the diversions Of
society This old lady had the passion for
remembering masculine institutions to the
excluBion OF tho feminine, which has been
characteristic 4 nm 'Rorry to say Of her
sex, and. as she was very rich old lady,
who read great deal OF Byron and Ma.
cautey's Lays, she had most generously BY
will, endowed the elocutionnry interests OF
Repose Academy. The prixs for, the beat
Tor the least .murderous) attack on the
English Of the great, deiencelees dead, in
this institution was always worth gaining.
Last summer there was q funny choice in
three directions: a Bible, bicycle, or the
money. The bicycle, 1t should bs said,
was secondhand (but in good condition),
tho Bible waa Revised Rible bound in
purple velvet, and the money was con-
siderable sum-, !s.. .I3& @@m q
fen boys competed. Each one OF the
ten expected to get the prize. BALLOTS had
been passed among them in secret SEES.
sions on the matter OF choice in the prize
which each boy expected to get. Nine
boys chose tho bicycle, and said they
didn't know but they would rather have
the money. Then they voted over again,
and nine chose tho money, and said they
wished they had taken the bicycle. One
boy preferred the Bible. Hs said he
should get licked ii he didn't. Upon this
statement being received with moro dis
credit than sympathy, by the other nine,
the Bible boy admitted that he might not
get exactly licked, but. he thought il he
chose the Bible. his grandmother would
invite him to 10 to ihs Adirondacks in
August With bis halt:uncle.
So far as an anxious public sentiment
could prophesy the result, the competition
seemed 10 lie closest between two Of these
young bandits on the great highway Of
English Literature. Tho name OF the boy
upon whose success hope and fear hung
most heavily, WAS hope - Smith, / be.
lieve. The name Of the other was Solo.
mon Rollinatan. !. &E
1t was rumored that Rollinstall had me
with little accident which might prevent
his appearance, end the heart OF Smith
beat high, and the pulse OF the other
eight bows thrpbbed hopefully, at this re-.
port; but they all said they. were very
eorry,S Tor RolGnstall was d nice. fellow,
popular enough, and bright; quite a
scholar, and something, perhaps, too
much Of q pet with the teachefs-they
said thoy were exceedingly sorry, but
hoped he would be about in time but, in
their hearts, all the nine knew they hoped
he wouldn't. &C. -.
[ Among the friends Of the speakers, in
the front row Of the audience that night,
sat one young lady who attracted much
attention. She had bright, aweet face,
Of which one could hardly cay whether ii
were sad or merry, it was 80 oiton both in
turn. Her "hsii.Mournipg" colors gave a